Southwestern Community College students from Jackson County who received their radiography program pins during a recent ceremony were Nikki Buchanan (left) of Sylva and Lanette Diss.

Radiography program coordinator Meg Petty (left) stands beside several Southwestern Community College students from Macon County who received their radiography program pins during a recent ceremony. Next to Petty are, from left: Matthew Pearson of Franklin, Timothy Anderson (Otto), Renee Blackburn (Franklin), Anna Vilardo McCall (Franklin) and Paul Wooten (Franklin).

Kim Argo (left), clinical coordinator for Southwestern Community College’s radiography program, stands beside Swain County students Trever Wright (center) and Rebecca Quinton Bowman – both of Bryson City. Wright and Bowman recently received their radiography program pins at a ceremony on SCC’s Jackson Campus.

After nearly two years of intense coursework and clinical rotations, nine graduating students in Southwestern Community College’s radiography program received their pins in a ceremony on May 1 at the Jackson Campus.

The graduates, who received their associate degrees on May 8, can work in diagnostic x-ray departments or continue to specialty areas like MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), nuclear medicine, sonography, mammography, CT (Computed Tomography), radiation therapy.

Graduates, who will sit for the national registry administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, can also work toward a bachelor’s degree in the field.

“I am so proud of this group,” said Meg Petty, program coordinator. “Completing this program is not easy. The coursework is challenging, and the clinical rotations are especially demanding. Based on how well our students have performed these past two years, I have full confidence they will make us proud in their respective careers.”